New Policy Gives Hope To Some Facing Deportation

Melissa, 18, fled gang violence in her native Honduras when she was 7-years-old. Because she has attended U.S. schools and has no criminal record, her deportation has been deferred for one year.

Courtesy of Melissa

The Obama administration on Thursday said it would review the deportation cases of 300,000 illegal immigrants. The administration wants to put high priority on removing convicted criminals, and low priority on cases that involve people who pose no security threat.

That might make a big difference for thousands of undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children.

New Hope For One Student

Melissa, a high school student in Central Florida, came to the U.S. from her native Honduras with the help of smugglers when she was 7 years old. She has no criminal convictions, though her attorney didn't want her real name used for this story.

When Melissa heard the White House announcement, she said it gave her hope for the future and a hope that she no longer had to "be afraid [that] they're going to send me back."

Life over the past six years has been a struggle for Melissa. She got caught in an immigration raid and recently lost her political asylum case at the highest level she could appeal to. That's when she was told she had to go back to Honduras.

"I gave up everything," she said. "I didn't care about school, because to me it was like I lost everything here. There is no one over there that I can make proud. My whole family is here."

Melissa is the only person in her family without legal status. She was recently granted permission to stay in the country for one year, and that might happen for more people in situations similar to hers.

A Policy Of Tolerance

The White House announcement formalizes a policy of tolerance for undocumented immigrants with no criminal record, but critics say it does more than that.

Kristen Williamson with the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group that wants tougher enforcement on illegal immigration, says the Obama administration is bypassing Congress to loosen immigration laws.

"They're telling everyone, in making it public, that any illegal alien without a criminal record ... is now allowed to stay in the country and apply for a work visa," Williamson says.

Not true, says Cheryl Little with the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center. She says the vast majority of undocumented immigrants are not in removal proceedings, and they can only qualify for temporary status if they're facing deportation.

"I'm concerned its going to provide false hope that truly meaningful change is forthcoming," Little says. "Those who have been placed in deportation proceedings now have some hope that they can get a work permit and a valid driver's license, while those who have not are out of luck."

In a way, Little says Melissa is lucky she's in the system, because now she can temporarily live in the U.S. lawfully.

This story is part of WLRN’s StateImpact Florida education reporting project, which examines the effect of state policies on the lives of students, educators and parents in our community.